Is It A Dud?

[MicMaven]

Um ... so I purchased a really low cost 4 channel USB audio interface. Its mic pre-amps sound good enough. It has two outputs, MONITOR OUT, and LINE OUT. Unfortunately, the MONITOR OUT only plays what is captured by the microphone inputs, and does not mix or play sound coming from the computer. The LINE OUT can mix and play both sources, depending on how I set the front panel MIX knob, I think. The attached image from the sales pitch depicts inputs and outputs, showing speakers in each of the two outputs. I expected it to send computer audio to both outputs - but only the LINE OUT plays sound from the computer. The MONITOR OUT plays only what is being captured by the microphone inputs.


QUESTIONS: Is this how it is supposed to work? Am I missing something, or do I have unfounded expectations? Is it broken right out of the box?

Thank you for any insight and guidance you may provide. James

 

[deleteduser]

i think there's an adaptor called a peavey pv-6 or something like that

 

[ruffrecords]

I think the MIX control is supposed to do what you want - blend the computer output with the inputs and feed it to the phones.

Cheers

Ian

 

[RuudNL]

I think the MIX control is supposed to do what you want

That is anyway how it works on my cheap Behringer audio interface!

 

[Gold]

I don't know if that's the way it's supposed to work but you can often set up interfaces like that for "zero latency monitoring".

 

[MicMaven]

i think there's an adaptor called a peavey pv-6 or something like that

Um ... er ... I do not think that is appropriate here ... I own a PV-6 which is a full fledged six channel mixer with Gain and EQ and other standard mixer controls. I want to replace it and computer sound card with the new thing. Thanks for playing along! James

 

[Newmarket]

I don't know if that's the way it's supposed to work but you can often set up interfaces like that for "zero latency monitoring".

But useful Zero Latency Monitoring mixes the audio you are recording (with no conversion/DAW delay) with the existing audio from a DAW etc. and feeds that to your monitors/phones. So you, for example, hear your voice in time with the "backing track".

 

[MicMaven]

That is anyway how it works on my cheap Behringer audio interface!

Hi Gang! Thanks for pitching in!

It appears my question is not sufficiently clear. The MIX control mixes mic input with computer audio, apparently as it should, but only on the LINE OUT connectors. Why not also on the MONITOR OUT connectors? Should they not play the same thing in two different directions for, perhaps, different purposes?

To put this another way, I expected to send computer audio from a DAW or media playback application to two sets of speakers, or two different audio devices, such as powered speakers and a stereo system or wireless headphones simultaneiously. This new device plays the mixed audio on its LINE OUT connectors as expected, but puts only the microphone audio on the MONITOR OUT connectors, which I did not expect. From the product literature, I expected to hear both mic and computer through both outputs at once. (Gee this is more difficult to express than I anticipated!)

How does this work for other devices with similar dual outputs?

It would be easier if it only had one output, necessitating an A/B switch to select which external device would get the signal at any one time, but the specific objective is to have two equal outputs going to two external devices at the same time. (He typed, obviating a more detailed description of how he and his wife listen to old time radio programs on wirless headphones and stereo speakers at once because the wife has some hearing loss and likes headphones...)

Does this additional gloss help? Am I expecting too much to think both outputs should be playing computer audio simultaneiously? Should the MONITOR OUT only play mic audio, and not computer audio (also?)

Thanks loads!! James

[I apologize if this is redundantly repetitious ... still a rookie brandishing a soldering iron, ya know.]

 

[Gold]

The only thing that can be routed to the Monitor Out is the Mic Input? You can’t get anything from the computer to the Monitor Out? That does sound strange.

 

[MicMaven]

The only thing that can be routed to the Monitor Out is the Mic Input? You can’t get anything from the computer to the Monitor Out? That does sound strange.

Exactly. That is the issue. Unless I find a work-around, or learn that is the way it is supposed to be, I will either accept a discount or return it for a full refund. But I would hate to be hasty and act without a full understanding.

Mr. @RuudNL has a Berringer that works as it should. I wonder what model that is, and whether it has multiple outputs. A two channel model with multiple outputs is on sale, and I wonder if it would be a good alternative.

Thanks for pitching in. Most appreciated. James

 

[ruffrecords]

What do you get from the headphones output?

Cheers

Ian

 

[MicMaven]

What do you get from the headphones output?

Sound from both computer and mic inputs as expected. Go figure.

I received a few answers to my question from other vendors of the same device, and they all say it should play the same on both type of outputs. Perhaps it is ... um ... futzed. James

 

[ruffrecords]

I suspect this is how most interfaces work. Many do not have the monitor (My Focusrite doesn't for example). They just have line outs and headphones out both connected to the mix control so you can get mic inputs or computer outputs or a blend of the two.

The odd one out on your interface is the monitor outs. It is not clear to me what this is for.

Cheers

Ian

 

[MicMaven]

The odd one out on your interface is the monitor outs. It is not clear to me what this is for.

I follow where you are drifting. I understand MONITOR OUT is to play the mix of mic input and computer (DAW and other applications) to powered studio monitors (speakers) - while the LINE OUT is supposed can lead to powered speakers or to another audio device with standard -10 dBu or +4 dBu (consumer vs pro input levels) LINE IN inputs, maybe a mixer, stereo, or other audio device.

As per above, other vendors confirm both MONITOR and LINE OUT should play computer audio, Outfits like Sweetwater.com confirm it works that way on Berringer and other brand interfaces with dual outputs like this. So it appears my unit has stumbled right out of the chute.

I am sorta sorry I went cheap. I should have ordered the MOTU M4 I really want! But, as a mere consumer, and not an audio professional, I opted to conserve financial resources and hope for the best. My wife has partial hearing loss and uses wireless headphones for our evening entertainment, while I switch between wireless cans and speakers; hence the desire for dual outputs.

I will initiate a return.

Thanks for weighing in! I appreciate the second opinions. James

 

[snakecained2]

After decades at the cutting edge of audio technology it is only in the last few years that some Chinese USB products have defeated me.

In this case I have sneaky feeling they think the monitor out would go to the singers loudspeaker so they could monitor themselves. A bit bizarre in a recording setup but I see what they they were thinking. Maybe.

I would trade it and get something more traditional and mainstream.